Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Definition, Diagnosis, and Routine Management

center dot Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an acute inflammatory lung injury characterized by severe hypoxemic respiratory failure, bilateral opacities on chest imaging, and low lung compliance. center dot ARDS is a heterogeneous syndrome that is the common end point of a wide variety of predisposing conditions, with complex pathophysiology and underlying mechanisms. center dot Routine management of ARDS is centered on lung-protective ventilation strategies such as low tidal volume ventilation and targeting low airway pressures to avoid exacerbation of lung injury, as well as a conservative fluid management strategy. center dot Advancements in molecular diagnostics and informatics tools may lead to a refined ARDS definition, improved understanding of ARDS heterogeneity and ARDS subphenotypes, and facilitate the development of novel therapeutic approaches.